Six weeks on, still no news

Monday, 23 April 2007 .... Strange day, all told. I spent the first four hours showing Andrew Neil around one of Glasgow's best performaing secondary schools for a piece he was doing for the Daily Politics.

St Andrew's Secondary - no, not a reference to the man who once described the NUJ as nothing more than a gnat on the bottom of a hippopotamous, before the same gnat won huge concessions from the management of The Scotsman - got glowing reports from school inspectors.

Despite the occasional fixture and readjustment of his hair, Andrew seemed suitably impressed by the semi-eponymous school .... In the heart of the East End of Glasgow, one of the most deprived parts of the UK, it's hard not to be impressed by a school which offers kids the opportunity to beat poverty. I grew up in the East End, during the worst excesses of Thatcher's '80s and I was fortunate to have a good education. Here's hoping Andrew doesn't play the achievements of a Glasgow school as a failure of the state system.

Back to the office and a quick stop for a sandwich before getting soaked on the way up to Queen Margaret's Drive and the BBC's, soon to be defunct, Scottish headquarters.

It was sobering to think that about 6 weeks before, almost to the minute, as we were going about our normal business, Alan Johnston, the BBC's Gaza Correspondent was going about his, anticipating coming home to Scotland after a three-year long posting, when he was taken.

Well, today we postponed going about our normal business to come together, pause for a moment and reflect on the fate of our colleague. Alan's sister, Katriona, showed as much dignity as her family has shown throughout, joining friends and colleagues at the vigil.

The NUJ is something of a dysfunctional family, but in times of crisis, it pulls together, providing support and offering a shoulder. With Alan, journalists are showing solidarity - whether union members or not - for one of their own .... and not only here, but across the UK, Ireland, Europe and, particularly, in Palestine where the support has been unprecedented.

It was a proud and humbling moment to share a platform with Katriona and look out on the faces of more than 150 journalists from across the BBC. It was extremely gratifying to see the strength that provided to Alan's sister and her family.

Let's do everything we can to ensure that we continue to put the pressure on to ensure Alan's safe and swift return home ... click here for more http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6584459.stm